The Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club (DGC) is hosting yet another interesting Snooker Open, dubbed Vintage Snooker tournament.
The competition, scheduled to run from next Monday to December 8, this year, is also part of the 53th Tanganyika Independence anniversary celebrations.
DGC snooker captain Firoz Yusufali told the ‘Daily News’ that preparations for the two-week event are in top gear. He added that the event is strictly for players aged 50 years and above.
“Everything is in place for the club to host the tournament of its kind, as it gives players over 50 years an opportunity to showcase their skills,” he said.
Yusufali said about 30 players from three Dar es Salaam-based clubs have confirmed their participation in the tournament. Six players are from Upanga Club, Legion Club has two, while 22 are from hosts DGC,” he said.
“Winners of every match of the preliminary round will receive mugs offered by the sponsor, while heft prizes await the overall winner,” said Yusufali.
“The event is sponsored by one of snooker’s big supporters, DGC Chairman Dioniz Malinzi of Cargo Stars Limited. “We want to express our gratitude to Malinzi, who is always there for us and is a very good supporter of the section.”
Yusufali said the closing ceremony on December 8 will be marked by a prize-giving gala complete with dinner and live music.
The format of the competition will be single frame in the early round, but from the quarters, semis and final the players will have to fight for the best of three frames.
“The early round is going to be more interesting as single frame needs more focus and concentration … it does not give you a second chance or time for correction.
It’s totally a different game,” the skipper said. This is the second consecutive tournament DGC opts for a single frame format. The first was last month’s Nyerere Snooker event.
BY MBONILE BURTON, Tanzania Daily News